Circle the Wagons for Oregon Trail Days in Tenino

Everyone has a chance to get in touch with their inner pioneer at this year’s Oregon Trail Days celebration in Tenino.

This year’s celebration of Tenino’s history runs Friday, July 24, through Sunday, July 26.

There’s something for everyone, from the history exhibits at the Tenino Depot Museum, to the quarry pool, the black powder shoot, to the music festival headlined by Tenino native Adam Craig.

Tenino City Councilor Wayne Fournier and the lead on the city’s park commission, estimated the celebration has been going on for 40-50 years — definitely since he’s been born, he said.

“The intent is to kind of celebrate the pioneer history and provide a link to the past,” he said.

They’re taking that sentiment to heart and reinvigorating history exhibits that take visitors back to the pioneer days.

The Tenino Chamber of Commerce is working with the Tenino Depot Museum and other organizations to host a variety of workshops and live history exhibits.

“We’re trying to add some extra touches to that aspect of it, in addition to the vendors we’ve always had, to make it a more educational aspect of it,” Fournier said.

Some of the old-time action people can witness at the museum this year include shake splitting, log cabin notching, making cornmeal, stone carving, making homemade ice cream and, true to Tenino’s own unique history, making wooden money.

More modern activities at the museum include a bounce house, face painting, slides, inflatable balls big enough for a person to enter and float on top of a pool, pony rides and fish ponds, all for the kids thanks to a $6,000 grant secured by the city.

The black powder shoot is another activity that throws people into the past. A lot of people don’t know they can actually shoot a black powder rifle themselves, Fournier said.

The quarry pool will be running full steam for this year’s event

Tenino’s own Adam Craig will headline both Friday and Saturday night. 

A huge beer garden featuring Tenino winery, Scatter Creek Winery, Coors Light, Dick’s Brewing Co., Angry Orchard and Blue Moon will be open.

Tenino native Bryce Hughes, of Simply Organic Café and Catering, will be grilling up the most organic burgers, along with a long list of food vendors. Fournier said the festival is hitting a peak as they have signed up more than double  the number of food vendors compared to year’s past. 

Selected Events

About 75 Entrants Expected for Oregon Trail Days Parade 

Parades can unite a community, and that’s precisely what it does to kick-off Oregon Trail Days.

Tenino’s annual event would not be the same without the parade, which has entertained spectators for the past two-plus decades. The parade starts 11 a.m. Saturday, July 25. It travels up and down Sussex Avenue and lasts about an hour.

It is put on with help from the Lions Club and other volunteers.

Tenino Blue Ribbon Pie Contest Features Classic Baked Goods

Just thinking about pie is enough to excite one’s palate. Not only does the classic baked good taste delicious, it literally oozes American spirit.

For all of the local bakers out there, the sixth annual Blue Ribbon Pie Contest is Saturday at Oregon Trail Days. Pie contest information and applications are available online at www.teninofarmersmarket.org, the July 25 farmers market or at Tenino City Hall. The contest will be held at the Tenino Farmers Market booth, located at the corner of Hodgden Street South and Central Avenue.

Submit contest pies to the booth 9:30-11:30 a.m. Saturday. Judging is 12:30-2 p.m. and winners get announced around 2:30 p.m. Prizes and ribbons will be awarded to first and second place of each category, and the grand champion goes to the best of the first-place winners in all six categories.

Pie categories include berry, fruit (other than berry), cream/custard, nut, fruit cobbler or crisp, and junior pie baker (under 15 years old). Pies will be critiqued by seven judges for overall appearance (before and after slicing), taste and presentation.

It is free to enter a pie. After the winners are announced, individual slices will be sold for $3 as a fundraiser to pay for the competition. All pies must be homemade (crust and filling), including a recipe card or list of ingredients submitted to the entry form. At the very least, ingredients must be listed in case someone is allergic.

Berry is the most common pie entrant, yet other categories such as cream have often taken first place overall. Previous grand champions went to apple and three other cream pies.

For more information, go to

www.teninofarmersmarket.org.

Family Fun Carnival Comes to Trail Days

Thanks to a $6,000 grant from Thurston County, Tenino’s Oregon Trail days will add a bunch of events for the kids, including bounce houses, slides, a massive swimming pool filled with huge inflatable balls that people can enter into and spin across the water, two bands, pony rides and a fishing pond.

Tenino Young At Heart Theatre Presents Seussical the Musical

“Seussical the Musical” will start 7 p.m. July 23, 24, 30 and 31; 2 p.m. July 26 and Aug. 1; and 7 p.m. July 29 (a pay as you can production). Cost is $12 adults, $10 for students and seniors. Music is by Stephen Flaherty with lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, based on their book, which in turn is based on the works by Dr. Seuss. Tickets are available at www.brownpapertickets.com.

Creekside Conservancy Salmon Bake

Traditional smoked salmon over fire sponsored by Chehalis Tribe. Salmon dinner with sides and a drink for $10 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at the Quarry House parking lot. All proceeds go to the Creekside Conservancy/Heerneet Foundation.

Creekside Conservancy is a land conservation and environmental education outreach organization based in the headwaters of Scatter Creek in the Chehalis watershed. For more information on that group, go to www.creeksideconservancy.org.

Huge Rock and Gem

Rendezvous in Tenino

The Washington Agate and Mineral Society of Olympia, along with the Tenino Rock Cruisers, is putting on the 2015 Rock and Gem Rendezvous Friday, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, July 24-26, at Parkside Elementary School, 301 Central Ave. The show will feature demonstrations, indoor displays, kids’ activities and dealer booths. For more information about this free event: www.wamsolympia.wordpress.com

Tenino Farmers Market

 Extends Hours

The market will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Hodgden Street across from the fire station.

Friends of the Library

 Book Sale

The annual Tenino library book sale is from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.

Oregon Trail Days Features Black Powder Shoot

Oregon Trail Days’ black powder shoot is one of the highlights of the weekend.

The competition includes traditional side lock arms, open iron sights, loose black powder or equivalent and patched round ball. Shooters are judged on hitting targets at 95, 75, 50 and 25 yards. A separate match is for women shooters, pistols and trade guns.

Entry fee is $27 for the main event, $11 for juniors, and $6 for single event. Kids under 12 shoot for free.

On Thursday traders set up, with Traders’ Row opening on Friday. The shooting competitions start at 9 a.m. both Saturday and Sunday.

The shoot gets interesting for the public with a 25-yard open range public presentation Saturday, followed by a trader’s auction at 1 p.m. A potluck and pig roast is at 6 p.m. Saturday.

Tenino City Councilor Wayne Fournier said many people don’t realize in addition to watching the black powder shooters, they can fire off a black powder rifle themselves.

Hobbyists will guide them through the process of shooting a traditional black powder rifle, he said.

Fournier said a black powder rifle it’s a bit bulkier than a modern rifle — and when it fires, it’s loud, he said